


Grand Muse (aka Great Asses I Have Known)

by cestlavieminako



Category: Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: College AU, M/M, but mostly focusing on art student Jin and business major Aruto, is anyone surprised?, same verse as Spark so it's entirely possible that Horobi or Fuwa could pop up somewhere, why yes I DO need to do a whole spin-off for Jin and Aruto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:20:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22761592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cestlavieminako/pseuds/cestlavieminako
Summary: Jin and Aruto had never met before, given their wildly different majors, but fate intervenes on the day when Aruto is wearing his laundry day clothes and Jin is inspired by dat ass.
Relationships: Jin/Hiden Aruto, past Amatsu Gai/Hiden Aruto
Comments: 149
Kudos: 57





	1. Chapter 1

“Excuse me! Sir! Excuse…ah, sorry…man, why’s it so crowded? Excuse me!”

Aruto barely managed to hide an enormous yawn behind his hand as he continued to shuffle down the hallway. How did some people have so much energy at such an ungodly hour? Clearly this guy hadn’t run out of coffee this morning, like Aruto had…or if he _had_ , then clearly he hadn’t been forced to give up on thoughts of buying a latte on his way to school because he desperately needed all of his spare change to do laundry after classes because all of his clothes were dirty except for his laundry day clothes (again, as Aruto had unfortunately been forced to do—he certainly wouldn’t have chosen a hoodie and his tightest pair of jeans to wear to a two hour business lecture. He could almost see the contemptuous look in his professor’s eyes now).

“HEY!”

Aruto yelped as he was stopped in his tracks by a sudden tug on his hood, and he stumbled back a few steps until he bumped rather abruptly into someone.

A tall young man with the fluffiest, most chaotic hair Aruto had ever seen was standing behind him, his fingers still closed around Aruto’s hoodie. As if realizing that he might have acted a bit rudely, he released his grip on the fabric, and a brilliant smile lit up his entire face.

“Can you model for me?”

Aruto blinked, frowning in confusion. Either he was severely caffeine deprived, or nothing today was making any sense. 

“Sorry for grabbing your hoodie, but I don’t know your name, and I _had_ to talk to you. I know we’ve never met before or anything, but you have an amazing ass.”

Aruto felt an awkward flush spreading across his face, especially when students passing by gave them both odd looks. “Um…thank you..?” he finally stammered.

“I need to recreate it in clay. It’s perfect,” the young man continued, dropping down into a crouch beside Aruto, before lifting his hand to run across Aruto’s denim-clad backside.

An embarrassing squeak left Aruto’s lips. Was this seriously happening? What _was_ happening? 

The young man shook his head, then stood up once again, and Aruto was looking up…and up…damn, he was tall! How had he never seen this guy before? He had to tower over most of the students, and probably even most of the teachers.

“Sorry! I’m being really weird, right? I got carried away. My name is Jin, I’m an art major, and seriously, your ass is amazing. I’m amazed that no one else has noticed it and asked to sculpt it. Ah…no one else _has_ , right? It would be hella rude to steal someone else’s model.”

It took a moment for Aruto to realize that Jin had stopped speaking, and seemed to be waiting for a response to something. Frantically, Aruto’s tired brain replayed Jin’s one-sided conversation, and he shook his head. “I’m not a model…I’ve never even been inside the art building…”

A relieved smile broke across Jin’s face, and Aruto forgot what he’d been saying.

He was pretty cute.

“Could you…I mean, would you mind modeling for me? If you have the time? I’m sure you’re busy with your own classes and stuff, so I can understand if you can’t, but I really hope you can.”

Aruto knew he should decline. What did he know about art? He’d been called unsophisticated more than once. And with the workload from his classes, and the difficult times he’d been having with them as of late, he really needed every moment he could spare to go over his notes and textbooks to try and convince his brain to absorb even a fraction of the knowledge required to pass his courses.

Even so, he found himself hesitantly nodding. “I can’t spare a ton of time…maybe an hour or two…”

“That’s fine! That’s plenty. It’s a good start. I don’t like making anyone stand around for more than a couple hours at a time, anyway. Um…I know it’s really sudden, but can you spare maybe an hour later today? Whenever your classes are done.”

Jin looked so hopeful, and Aruto found himself nodding yet again. “My last class ends at 2:30…”

“Great! That’ll give me time to get the room set up. Um…you know where the art building is, at least, right? I’ll be in room 202. If you can’t find it, just ask someone. I can bring you tea, if you want? It gets a little drafty in there. Or coffee, if you prefer.”

Aruto’s ear perked up at the mention of coffee. “Coffee would be perfect.”

“Cool! It’ll be my treat, since you’re being super nice about this, even if I was a little rude and you probably think I’m weird,” Jin said, trailing off with a laugh. “Ok, so any time after 2:30. I’ll be there. Thank you _so_ much…um…what’s your name, anyway? I can’t just call you Corned Beef Guy.”

Aruto hesitated. Usually when he told people his name, they got all weird, even if they’d been getting along fine until that point. But Jin didn’t need to know his family name, did he? He hadn’t given his own. He might have hesitated a beat too long, but he finally replied, “I’m Aruto.”

“That’s a cool name,” Jin stated, grinning. “Then I’ll see you later, Aruto, for some art!”

The very casual play on words had been so flawless, Aruto wondered if Jin had done it purposely, or if it had been a coincidence, and he sighed softly as Jin turned and headed off to…wherever he was going. Probably his class.

Class! Aruto glanced at the time on his cell as he noticed that the hallway was much emptier than it had been, and he broke into a run to get to his class. He still had a minute; he would probably be the last one there, and the professor would undoubtedly have started his lecture since everyone else (everyone _important_ , he knew that’s what his professor meant every time he said it) was present, but he would be on time.

And he would do his best to concentrate on the lecture and not fall asleep, and definitely not dwell on meeting with Jin that afternoon.

*

Aruto leaned back, but he was still fairly certain that he felt a few droplets of tea land on his hand as they were sprayed across the table.

“Are you _nuts_? He wants to sculpt your _ass_? And you said _yes_? God, this sounds like the plot of one of those really skeevy yaoi manga, right before the poor sap gets banged against his will,” Izu stated, before patting her lips with her napkin, trying to sop up the tea she’d sprayed, but not wanting to mess up her lipstick.

“He seemed nice, though! He wasn’t creepy about it or anything! I mean, he did touch my butt that one time, but…” Aruto trailed off, leaning back once again as Izu spat out the tea she’d just tried to drink. “Izu! Geez…this is my only clean hoodie.”

“You’re nuts, Aruto. Absolutely nuts. You always manage to attract the weirdos because you’re so darn trusting,” Izu continued, setting her drink aside.” I don’t want to see anyone else try to take advantage of you.”

“Not everyone is Amatsu Gai,” Aruto said.

“Thank goodness for that,” Izu stated with a small nod of agreement. “Aruto, you’re my best friend. I can’t help but worry about you, when you’re fresh out of a relationship with that disgusting dumpster fire of a man, and now there’s a weird art student wanting to fondle your butt. Maybe you’re right, maybe he really does just want you to model for him and it’s perfectly innocent, but…like I said, you’re so trusting. You always want to see the best in people, and help them if you can, and people just like to take advantage of people like that.”

“I know, Izu. Will you feel better if I keep my phone on me, and I speed dial you if he starts getting too friendly?”

Izu paused, then nodded, a wicked smile crossing her lips. “They’ll never find the body.”

“Izu, no.”

“Izu _yes_.”


	2. Chapter 2

After Aruto’s last class ended, he made his way across campus toward the art building, feeling oddly nervous and not certain why. Perhaps it was due to Izu’s overactive imagination and the unlikely scenarios she’d come up with. But, he reminded himself, he’d be keeping his phone in his pocket, and he could easily contact Izu in case Jin turned out to be some kind pervert. Aruto didn’t know how she did it, but Izu could cover ground at astonishing speeds, even in the wedge heels she always wore.

Upon reaching the building, Aruto took a deep, steadying breath, and opened the door.

And stepped into an odd-smelling hallway. He paused, covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve. What _was_ that? Some kind of art supply? Hopefully it wasn’t toxic, he thought to himself, because it was incredibly potent.

He headed down the hall, thankful that the odor seemed to fade as he made his way further in, and before he knew it, he stood outside of room 202. After a moment’s hesitation, he lifted his hand and knocked softly.

“Oh, you’re here!”

Aruto yelped, not having expected to hear Jin’s voice come from directly behind him. But there he stood, with two takeout cups from the campus cafeteria, and Aruto could detect the sweet, life-giving scent of coffee emitting from one of them.

“Sorry, the line at the cafeteria was longer than I thought. Oh! Here, this one is for you,” Jin said, holding out the taller of the two cups. “Nice and hot! I was hoping I wouldn’t need to open the window in the room…it kinda stinks in here when you first come in, right?” Jin rolled his eyes as he opened the door, ushering Aruto in. “Some of the students like to smoke when they paint, and y’know, to each their own, but…it smells so awful! And it makes everybody think that all the art majors are potheads.”

Aruto shivered, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the cool temperature in the room, or from finding out that he’d essentially passed through a cloud of pot smoke on his way in and had been blissfully unaware of what it had been. But how would he know? He’d always been the child who wasn’t allowed many sugary treats, and grew up to be the young man who declined alcoholic beverages once he'd reached the legal drinking age and never tried any recreational drugs. 

His thoughts were drifting dangerously close to Amatsu Gai once again—how he’d scoffed at Aruto turning away flutes of champagne, calling him childish, insisting that he try “just a sip” of his own drink, how it made his thoughts so fuzzy, but he’d done it just to placate Gai, even though more often than not, it led to Gai’s hands wandering to places they definitely should have kept far away from until they were in a private place…

Aruto shook his head abruptly. Enough of that! Why was he letting his mind wander like this?

Jin regarded him curiously. “Are you ok? You just had a whole face adventure going on there. Did you miss lunch? I can go grab you a sandwich or something, if you want.”

“Oh…no. It’s nothing, I’m fine,” Aruto assured him. “Sorry. I guess…I’m just a little nervous. I’ve never modeled before.”

_That’s not exactly true; you modeled for HIM plenty of times, didn’t you? And he probably still has the photos to prove it._

Aruto took a large sip of his coffee, trying to quiet his brain down, and winced at how hot the beverage still was.

“I wasn’t sure how you took your coffee, either. If you want sugar or creamer, I think there’s some in the little fridge in the corner. Artists need their caffeine, so we all kinda look out for each other like that,” Jin said, setting his bag and coat on a folding chair, before rummaging around to withdraw a sketchbook and a cloth bag that he unwrapped to reveal an assortment of pencils and brushes.

“It’s fine. I’ve always just drank it black,” Aruto replied. “I thought you were sculpting?”

“Oh! I will. But before I start sculpting, I like to have sketches of whatever I’m working on. I know you won’t always be available when I want to work on the sculpture, and it’s a little easier if I have ‘notes’, you know? And this is a lot less weird than me taking pictures, you know?”

Aruto nodded. He guessed that made sense. “So…what should I do?”

“You can sit right up there,” Jin said, nodding toward a stool that sat in the middle of the room, with a small table to the side. “You can put your clothes on there, and feel free to wrap up in the blanket if it’s too cold. It always feels freezing in here, no matter how high the thermostat is set.”

Aruto paused in the middle of taking a sip of his drink. “My…clothes?”

Jin nodded. “Well…yeah. If I’m sculpting your butt, I gotta be able to get a good look at it, you know?” He took in Aruto’s confused and somewhat alarmed look, and his eyes widened. “Oh nuts, did I forget to mention that earlier?”

“Y-yeah, you kinda did!” Aruto spluttered.

“Sorry…I figure most folks realize that artistic modeling is usually in the nude, unless it’s like…hand models or something,” Jin said, trailing off, his hand lingering on his sketchbook. “Do you not want to do this anymore?”

Aruto felt as though he should call the whole thing off; he hadn’t known about this very important detail until right now, and he wasn’t incredibly comfortable with a complete stranger getting an eyeful of his ass!

“I promise, I’m not gonna do anything weird,” Jin stated. “I meant it when I said I want to sculpt you. I’ve been going nuts trying to figure out what to do for this semester, and your butt really is perfect. You can hold onto your phone if it'll make you feel more comfortable. Or if you change your mind anytime, you can go, and no hard feelings or anything.”

Aruto hesitated. Ordinarily, he felt as though he would have backed out of the entire thing immediately, but…it was ridiculous, he’d only just met Jin that morning, but he seemed trustworthy. Would he have gone through this much trouble if he were up to no good? Would he have brought a bag full of art supplies to an actual classroom if this were a farce? No; he would have suggested Aruto come back to his place and he would have proceeded to take photos for reference, or for his private collection, or something along those lines.

“Aruto-san?”

Aruto came out of his thoughts to find Jin looking at him in concern. “Just Aruto is fine…I’m only 22.” He paused, then continued, “If I change my mind or anything, then…”

“If you change your mind, you’re free to go,” Jin stated. “Does that mean you’ll give it a try?”

Aruto nodded, suddenly feeing incredibly self-conscious as he set his coffee on the table, then set to stripping. He shucked his hoodie, folding it clumsily before placing it on the table. He slid his sneakers off, then shimmied out of his jeans and his underwear, adding them to the pile, before grabbing the blanket and wrapping it around himself.

God, he felt as though that were the craziest thing he’d ever done. He’d just gotten naked in front of a complete stranger! 

He felt the blanket being lifted and rearranged, and for just a moment, Aruto panicked, realizing that his phone was still tucked in the pocket of his jeans.

“I _do_ need to be able to see your butt, at least,” Jin said with a soft chuckle. 

Then a warm hand was running gently across one cheek, then the next, and Aruto fought to keep from jumping up from his seat. 

“Wow…it’s really firm! Do you work out?” 

Aruto blinked at the sudden question. “I…no, not really. Not unless you count sprinting to class as working out.”

“I know what you mean,” Jin said. “I do the same thing.”

As Jin spoke, his hands were moving slowly across Aruto’s backside, as if he were trying to memorize the shape of it—and, truthfully, that probably was exactly what he was doing, Aruto realized. But that didn’t prepare him for how nice it felt. His touch wasn’t intrusive or creepy, it was more like he was conducting research. Jin even asked several times if Aruto was ok, and all Aruto could do was nod jerkily, or make a small affirmative sound, and pray that Jin wouldn’t notice how the portion of the blanket covering his groin was currently sitting.

After some time, Jin’s hands moved from Aruto’s backside, and Aruto heard him getting to his feet.

“Ok…everything’s still ok? You can sit down now. I’m gonna make notes and do a couple sketches. Just keep the blanket where it is, ok? I don’t wanna take up a bunch of your time today, so we can call it a day after that. Well, I might get some clay and try to do a prototype, but…I’m sure you have stuff to do, and I don’t want to keep you all afternoon.”

Aruto nodded, feeling rather dazed by everything, but mostly by the way the warmth from Jin’s touches still lingered. He took a careful seat, making sure that the blanket was situated just so, and prayed that his erection would go away before Jin was done with his sketches. 

As Jin went back to his seat, Aruto shifted slightly to pick up his cup of cooling coffee, and took a sip, thankful for the warmth that did remain. Jin had been right; the room really _was_ rather chilly. Was it just because he was naked, and his feet were resting on the cold floor? He shifted slightly, putting his feet on the bottom rung of the stool. That was a little better. 

“You’re good at this.”

Aruto turned slightly to look at Jin over his shoulder. “Huh? I’m just sitting here.”

“No…well, I mean, yeah, but…the way you’re moving. When you move, the way your body is resting changes. Every little movement you made just now…”

Jin trailed off, picking up a pencil and his sketchbook. “Stay just like that, please?”

Wordlessly, Aruto did as he was asked. After some time passed, Jin instructed him to lean forward, as if he were reaching for his coffee. Then he was instructed to sit with his feet on the floor. The whole time, Aruto could hear Jin’s pencil scratching frantically across paper, a page flipping every so often. 

“Ok, I’m going to do a quick sketch from memory. You can get dressed,” Jin finally said.

At least the chill from the floor had calmed Aruto’s body down, and he was incredibly thankful as he slid back into his clothing. He glanced at his cell, surprised to see that an hour and a half had passed, and he also had missed texts from Izu, all of them asking if he were all right, and the most recent saying that she was heading for the art building. He sent off a quick text saying that he was all right and unmolested, and she didn’t need to worry. She sent back a text comprised of a single skeptical-looking emoji, and he replied that he should be leaving within five minutes or so, if she wanted him to call her then.

Aruto gathered up his bag and the coffee cup, finishing the last few sips of nearly cold coffee, as he made his way toward where Jin was regarding his sketchbook. He wondered if Jin would let him look at what he’d drawn so far, or if he was one of the more secretive artists who wouldn’t let you see the project until it was completely done.

But when Jin looked up and saw him, he waved Aruto over, showing him the sketches he’d done while Aruto was seated. It was…odd, to say the least, looking at hastily drawn sketches of his butt and lower back, but Aruto could see the differences from when he was stretching, when his foot had been propped up, and when they’d been flat on the floor. 

Then Jin showed him the sketch he’d just finished. “It’ll make a fantastic sculpture, I think…but I also wouldn’t mind trying other mediums. Watercolors, charcoals…” He trailed off, then looked up at Aruto with a smile. “Oh, let me swap numbers with you. So we can work out good times to meet up. I can’t wait to get sculpting, but I’ll probably have to.” He handed Aruto his cell so he could enter his number, and Aruto hesitantly handed his over so Jin could input his.

Then Jin stood, and took Aruto’s hands in his own. “Thank you, Aruto-san. Aruto. You’re my muse. I look forward to seeing what we can do together.”

Jin’s words were entirely innocent and heartfelt, and Aruto felt warm.


	3. Chapter 3

When Aruto left the art building, as he’d expected, he saw Izu standing outside, her gaze fixed so intently on the building, he was surprised it hadn’t burst into flame.

That’s what happened when he got distracted, Aruto thought to himself. He’d forgotten all about holding onto his phone, so he’d missed her texts, and she’d gotten herself worried over nothing.

But he was glad to have someone who worried about him, he thought to himself, waving to get Izu’s attention.

“I was about two seconds away from storming the building. What happened? You fell off the face of the earth for almost two hours! And…” Izu trailed off, her nose wrinkling. “Why do you smell like weed?”

“Oh geez…do I? Crap, these are my only clean clothes! I gotta do my laundry,” Aruto said, pressing his nose against the sleeve of his hoodie. “Is it really that noticeable?”

Izu sighed softly. “Aruto, why were you even smoking in the first place?” Her eyes suddenly widened. “Did that guy make you?”

“Huh? Jin? No! No…when I walked into the building, it smelled really bad, and I didn’t find out what it was till later.”

“You’re probably the only person on this campus who doesn’t know what weed smells like, Aruto,” Izu said, a small smile on her lips. 

“You know I don’t like drugs and alcohol, Izu. I was never around anyone who did any of that,” Aruto said.

_Except for Gai and the champagne._

A brief shudder ran through Aruto’s body. “It’s chilly out here. C’mon, walk with me back to my dorm. I really gotta get my laundry done so I can attempt to study tonight.”

“It’s not _that_ cold,” Izu said.

“Maybe it’s just from being naked,” Aruto mused. After a moment, his eyes widened as he realized what he’d said, and he glanced over at Izu, who turned abruptly and headed back toward the art building. “Izu! H-hey!”

“He _did_ do something, didn’t he? Why were you naked?”

Aruto blocked Izu’s path, but even though she was shorter than he was, he still felt like he was struggling to hold back a football player. “Because I was modeling for him, Izu! Geez…I mean, I didn’t know at first that I’d be naked, either, and Jin apologized for forgetting to mention it. But nothing happened, except for Jin doing some sketches. He even showed them to me. It’s not like he was staring at my naked ass like a pervert or taking photos to jerk off to, or anything like that. He was professional about everything. He’s…really nice.”

Izu sighed, finally giving up on her plan to storm the building and defend her friend’s honor. “You’re not lying, right?”

“Why would I lie?”

“You didn’t exactly tell the truth when you were with Amatsu,” Izu said, her voice soft.

“That was different. He…” Aruto shook his head, tired of how many times he’d thought of the man that day. “I really don’t think Jin is like him. He genuinely seems interested in his art, and I’m kind of interested in seeing what he’ll do.”

“With your ass.”

“Izu…”

A small smile finally crossed her lips, and they started to head away from the art building. “Does he know your name?”

Aruto shrugged. “He didn’t give me his family name, so I didn’t tell him mine.”

“I’d be amazed if he doesn’t know who you are. I mean, doesn’t everyone know that the Hiden heir is taking classes here? But then again, the art kids probably don’t care about the business majors. Maybe he really _is_ legit,” Izu mused, shrugging. “I just worry about some creep trying to take advantage of my best friend again, because of who his family is.”

“I know. I have no idea why gramps decided to leave the company to me, instead of just passing everything on to someone already in the company. Like his vice-president. Wouldn’t that make more sense than waiting for me to graduate? _If_ I can graduate. The classes are so complicated, I can barely keep up, and everyone hates my guts. They just think I’m some rich brat. Whenever they stick me in charge of Hiden Intelligence, I’m sure everyone there will hate me, too. I’ll just be some dumbass kid who doesn’t belong there.”

“Don’t put yourself down like that, Aruto,” Izu said, her voice firm. “You’re just doing what _he_ did all the time. Your self-confidence has taken such a hit since…everything happened. I’ll study with you whenever you want. Maybe you can hire me on as your assistant when you get your cushy CEO job.”

“That would be nice…but wait, you’re studying fashion design, aren’t you?”

“Hiden employees will all be very fashionable,” Izu stated, patting Aruto’s arm. “I’ve got to go get some studying done myself. I’m expecting an important call later tonight. Go get your laundry going before everyone else gets out of class.”

“Important call..?” Aruto asked, but Izu only gave him a mischievous smile. “Ah…something I don’t need to know about, right?” Izu’s smile broadened. “Ok, ok, got it. None of my business. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow.”

Before Aruto went inside, he turned toward Izu’s retreating form, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Thanks, Izu. At least I have you watching out for me.”

*

Later, as Aruto was carrying his laundry bag back up to his room, his phone vibrated in his hoodie pocket, and he hurried to unlock his door, setting the bag inside as he swung the door shut with his foot and retrieved his phone.

To his surprise, instead of seeing Izu’s name on the screen, it was Jin’s, followed by a short message. _I’m sorry it’s kinda late, but is there any chance we could meet up tomorrow? Or if that’s no good, let me know what day works for you better. I’d like to do a couple more sketches before I break out the clay. :) I hope I’m not being too pushy, I’m just super excited about this project!_

Aruto couldn’t help but smile at Jin’s earnestness, and he sent back _tomorrow would be fine. Same time, same place?_

Aruto had carried his laundry into his room when his phone vibrated again. _Sounds great! I’ll bring the coffee! See u then. Thank you thank you!_

As Aruto put his clothes away, he thought that it would be much easier to get through the morning lecture if he had something to look forward to.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to neckspike for Jin's description of Aruto's butt, it was so perfect, I just had to use it.
> 
> And to aquabluejay for the Daut-Nette surname.

The next afternoon, Aruto woke up in a fairly good mood, and was even early to his lecture, which he listened to as intently as he could manage, taking notes the whole time.

He wasn’t sure why he was so excited to model for Jin again. It wasn’t as though he would be doing anything other than sitting there while Jin drew, he thought to himself. Maybe it was simply the change in his otherwise dull routine. He knew it wouldn’t last forever, but he was content to enjoy it while he could.

Even Izu looked to be in a good mood that day, and Aruto guessed that the “important call” she’d been talking about had been…good? Informative? He had no idea what it had been about or who it was from, but just seeing his friend looking happy made him happy.

Once his afternoon lecture had ended, Aruto found himself hurrying across campus to the art building. When he stepped inside, he was incredibly thankful that there wasn’t a lingering odor in the hallway, and he made his way to room 202. The light was on, and he peered in to see Jin setting out his art supplies. “Ah…you got here before me.”

A sheepish smile crossed Jin’s lips. “Yeah. I guess I was just super excited to get drawing, so I was just zooming all over the place. I brought you coffee,” he said, nodding to the cup that sat on the nearby table. “And! Just because it’s gonna be really cold this week, I borrowed a space heater from my brother. I don’t want you to wind up catching a cold or anything. It’s not the most powerful thing, but it’ll make it a little bit more comfortable for you.”

“You didn’t have to…”

“Sure I did,” Jin replied. “It’s common courtesy to take care of people when they’re modeling. Make sure they’re warm and comfortable, let them take breaks, bring them drinks and stuff. And we all know the insulation in this building stinks, so it’s extra chilly in the winter. I dunno what happened to the space heater that had been in here, but it wasn’t a problem, nii-chan just dropped it off this morning before his class.”

“Your brother goes here too?” Aruto asked, going over to his seat and beginning to take his clothes off.

“Yup. He’s in his last year, so you might not know him…and he’s taking all computer classes. Horobi Daut-Nette…you know him?”

Aruto shook his head, shivering when he’d put the last of his clothes on the table. “I don’t think so.”

Jin plugged in the space heater and turned it on low. “We’ll start on the lowest setting, but if it’s not enough, let me know and I’ll turn it up,” he said, adjusting the folds on the blanket that Aruto had already wrapped around his shoulders. “Sorry…um…do you mind if I feel it again?”

It took Aruto a moment to realize that Jin was talking about his butt, and he felt his face flush, but he nodded. 

“You probably think I’m nuts, right?” Jin said, his hands moving across Aruto’s backside. “But this will be really important once I start sculpting. I want it to be perfect, so I feel like…I want to memorize the entire thing.”

Jin’s hands were cool against his skin, as he continued to slowly and carefully move across every exposed inch of Aruto’s backside. There really was nothing sexual about it, but even so, Aruto could feel his body responding, even in the chill of the room, and he prayed that Jin wouldn’t somehow see, because how would he explain it? He couldn’t even explain his body’s reaction to himself.

Then Jin was heading back to take a seat and begin sketching, asking Aruto to remain standing for a few minutes.

“Is it…really _that_ good?” Aruto finally asked. True, the jeans he’d been wearing the day before hugged his lower body quite nicely (perhaps _too_ nicely; after a while, Aruto found them a bit uncomfortable and restrictive, which was why he kept them to wear only when he was doing his laundry. Wearing them the entire day yesterday had surely crushed his testicles beyond repair), but he’d never thought that his body was exceptional in any way. 

Jin made a soft sound of affirmation as he sketched. “Oh yeah. It’s like the absolutely ideal roundness and size. Like the platonic ideal of a great ass.”

Aruto felt his face flush again, this time equal parts embarrassment and pleasure. The platonic ideal of a great ass…odd as it sounded, that might have been the nicest thing anyone had ever said about him, Aruto thought to himself. 

And it definitely wasn’t helping to settle his erection.

Jin guided him through a series of motions—stretching, crouching, leaning—before he was able to perch on the stool. He must have been in worse shape than he’d thought, with how worn out those simple motions had made him. Aruto took a sip of coffee, feeling pretty warm from the movement and the space heater. 

“How are you doing? That wasn’t too much, was it?” Jin asked, suddenly realizing that he’d put Aruto through a mini workout with no warning. 

“I guess I just didn’t expect it,” Aruto said with a laugh. “I’m fine, though, don’t worry.”

“That’s good,” Jin said, sounding relieved. “If I go overboard like that, just tell me to calm down. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I keep getting caught up in the sketching, and all my brainpower goes there. I got a lot of good sketches, though. Want to see?”

Aruto nodded, standing up. “Am I good to get dressed?” 

“Oh! Yeah. Can you switch off the heater when you come down?”

Aruto nodded, slipping back into his clothes, picking up his coffee and switching off the heater. 

“I’ll give it a few minutes to cool down so I can bring it when I leave. It’s not mine, so I don’t want to leave it behind and have it go missing,” Jin stated, then slid the sketchbook over to Aruto.

Aruto carefully turned the pages, looking at sketch after sketch of his body. “You really are good at this,” he murmured. Was this really what he looked like? This was how Jin saw him? 

“You’re a good model,” Jin said. “Your movements are so nice and fluid. I could draw you for hours, honestly.”

Aruto returned the sketchbook when he’d finished looking at the sketches, and Jin began to pack his things up. “Next time…I think I’m going to try the clay. Even if it’s not the final product, it’ll be good practice. Um…are you busy this weekend? If I’m sculpting, I’ll need a little more time. Working with clay is a lot harder than just sketching. I’ll even buy you lunch, since it might take a good portion of the day. But that’s only if you’re not busy. If you’ve gotta study, or you have somewhere to go or people to see, then it can be another time.”

How sad was it, Aruto thought, that he didn’t have any people to see? Izu was his only friend, and she’d mentioned something about a date on Saturday. He probably should study, but he wasn’t going to spend an entire day locked in his room, reading boring business textbooks until his vision blurred.

He _should_. But spending the time with Jin sounded much more appealing.

“How about Saturday?” he finally asked. 

“Saturday would be perfect. I can put in the request for the room right now. You’re sure I’m not messing up any plans?” Jin asked.

Aruto shook his head. “Not at all.”

Jin smiled. “Great! Oh…don’t wear good clothes. When you’re around clay, it always manages to find its way onto you, even if you aren’t touching it. Just wear something you don’t mind getting messy. I know you won’t be wearing anything while I’m working, but still…better safe than sorry, right?”

Aruto nodded. He didn’t mind sacrificing the tight jeans to the gods of clay, and he knew he had at least one grubby old T-shirt laying around somewhere..

“Let me think…want to meet at about noon? I’d hate to drag you out of bed too early on a Saturday. We’ll still have lots of time to work. I’ll bring the space heater again, and some snacks. And the coffee, of course.”

“Sounds great,” Aruto said with a smile and a wave, and he headed out.

These were his first weekend plans in…he couldn’t remember how long. And even though it wasn’t a date or anything fancy, he found himself looking forward to the rest of the week passing by quickly.


	5. Chapter 5

Aruto felt oddly excited when he woke up Saturday morning, and he got out of bed before his alarm even went off. He knew that he’d most likely wind up a bit messy, if Jin wasn’t exaggerating about the clay, but he took a few extra minutes in the shower to make sure he was squeaky clean, carefully combing his hair once he’d gotten out, even swishing some mouthwash around after he’d brushed his teeth.

He was acting like this was a date, he thought to himself.

“No I’m not,” Aruto grumbled, as he started to get dressed. “He’s just seen me looking tired and disheveled, that’s all. I just want to look presentable, that’s all. I need to get in the habit, anyway, if I’m going to be Hiden’s CEO.”

Aruto looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t look much different today than any other day he’d met up with Jin. He’d worn his laundry day jeans, the tight ones that had attracted Jin’s attention in the first place. If they got messy with clay, it wouldn’t be a big deal. He’d also found an old t-shirt that had seen better days; he wasn’t even sure why he still had it, if he had to be truthful with himself. He topped it off with a hoodie that had wound up with a big scorch mark across the back from one of the old dryers in the laundry room, before they’d upgraded to newer ones that didn’t threaten to burst into flame if there was so much as one tiny particle of lint present. He added the sneakers he used to wear jogging, that were slightly discolored from dirt and grass, and he looked…

Ridiculous.

Aruto couldn’t help but laugh at his reflection. He wouldn’t even be wearing the clothes for long; he’d be wrapped up in the blanket, as usual, sipping coffee and enjoying the hot air from the space heater.

If he wanted Jin to see him looking presentable, today was not the day. They’d have to go out on a date for that. And they wouldn’t be doing that, because this was more of a professional relationship, right? After Jin finished with the sculpture, he would thank Aruto for his time, and they’d go their separate ways.

Right?

Somehow, the thought was incredibly depressing to Aruto, and he shook his head, trying to bring his thoughts back to the present. He’d be a little early if he left for the art building right now, but chances were that Jin was already there. He’d seemed very excited about getting to work on the sculpture today. 

It wasn’t like he had anything better to do, so Aruto left his room, locking the door behind him, and started across campus. It was quieter today than a weekday, when everyone was frantically moving from class to class, but there were still students heading to the library, and a few people milling about outside, waiting to meet up with friends, most likely. It was still too cold for any outdoor activities, Aruto thought, shoving his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie and picking up the pace a bit. 

A few minutes later, Aruto was ducking into the art building and holding his breath as he hurried down the hall. Apparently the smoking painters were already up and doing their thing. Aruto felt like he was passing through a cloud of smoke, and he really hoped that the smell wouldn’t be evident on his clothes. At least the air was clear when he reached room 202—and saw the light on inside—and he knocked softly, before opening the door and stepping inside.

“Oh, you’re early!” Jin said, equal parts surprise and excitement in his voice. “I’ve been getting everything set up…I was so excited, I barely slept. I’m like a kid on Christmas Eve when it comes to these things.”

Jin laughed, sounding a bit embarrassed at his admission, and Aruto couldn’t help but smile. He was similarly clad in a pair of paint-splattered jeans and a t-shirt that seemed to be stained by every art medium imaginable. 

“Ah, you remembered to wear old stuff, too. Good. Ok, um, let’s see…let me get the space heater going…your coffee is in the usual spot, and the fridge is full of snacks. I went to the conbini and got a bunch of stuff for lunch, too, since we’ll be here for a while.”

“I should have given you some money, I didn’t even think about it,” Aruto said, suddenly feeling guilty.

“Nah, no big deal! I’m the one who’s kinda holding you hostage all day,” Jin replied, grinning. “If we wind up doing another all-day session, though, you can buy the snacks. How’s that sound?”

“Do you think it’ll take more than one day?” Aruto asked. He was pretty clueless about art, and he figured it varied from person to person on how long a project took to reach fruition. 

Jin shrugged. “I guess it depends on if it’s a good day for the clay. It can be fussy sometimes. Or you can get something perfect, and then it cracks, or there’s a mishap during glazing. It’s always a mystery.”

Aruto nodded. Art seemed a lot more complicated than he’d ever imagined. He suddenly had so much more respect for art students who might lose a project to the whims of the art gods, who’d simply shrug and try it again if a clay piece cracked or broke, or if a painting didn’t quite turn out as envisioned.

“Ok. Are you ready? If you wanna grab a snack or use the bathroom at any point, just let me know. It might be a little boring for you today, so if you wanna play a game on your phone or read or anything, it’s totally ok. Oh, but if you can put your phone on vibrate instead of having a ringer on, I’d really appreciate it. An unexpected loud noise when you’re in the zone can be kinda bad, you know?”

Aruto nodded as he began to undress. “I always keep my phone on vibrate. I don’t want to disturb anyone else…and, well, hardly anyone ever calls me, so it’s not like I’m missing anything.” 

He picked up the blanket and draped it around his shoulders, making sure his phone was within reach in case he got bored.

“Fist bump for good luck?” Jin said, and Aruto couldn’t help but smile, bumping his own fist against Jin’s. 

“Ok. Let me get one more good feel before I get my hands in the clay. Then I’m gonna have to go by memory, because nobody wants a bunch of clay smeared across their butt,” Jin said, before his hands made the same slow journey across Aruto’s backside. His eyes closed, as if he truly were committing each touch to memory, so the information would be easily accessible as he built up the sculpture. 

This project was going to be amazing, he thought to himself. He hadn’t been this excited about a project in a while, and he wondered if he dared ask Aruto if he could do another. Clay would be the best, but he couldn’t help but want to bring out charcoal and change the lighting. His original sketches were good, but he knew he could improve upon them. Photographs would be even better, but that was far too intimate for someone he barely knew, Jin thought, sighing softly to himself.

That soft exhalation of breath brushed across Aruto’s shoulder, and he was barely able to keep from shivering, even as he adjusted the blanket to cover his groin. “Whoops…better keep that pig in the blanket,” he thought, rather absurdly, biting his lip to hold back a laugh.

Jin felt Aruto twitch slightly, and he opened his eyes. “Oh! The space heater! Sorry,” he said, switching it on.

Aruto smiled in thanks, glad that his close call with giggling had been mistaken as a shiver. Just about everyone he knew thought his jokes were awful, and his love of comedy was equally annoying. Gai, especially, had made his displeasure known. Aruto didn’t think he’d ever seen the man laugh, and he’d been sure to tell Aruto that his humor was in poor taste, or it was a poor time for it, and eventually, Aruto had started to wonder if he was right. 

Aruto drew the blanket a bit closer, suddenly feeling chilled to the bone. What had he ever seen in Gai? Flattery in being noticed by such an influential, wealthy man? Now he was fairly certain that Gai had only wanted to get close to him since he was the heir to such a large corporation, one that dealt in the same things that Zaia Enterprises did. If Aruto had continued on, he wondered if Gai would have somehow convinced him to make him a partner, or just sign the entire company over to him. It would have been the kind of thing he’d do. He was a ruthless, heartless businessman, and for one foolish moment in time, Aruto had thought that he’d occupied a place in the man’s heart.

Aruto pushed down the sob that threatened to spill from his lips, and drew the blanket closer, concentrating on staying as still as possible so he wouldn’t disturb Jin’s work. Surely he could sit up here and quietly work his way through his own little crisis without bothering others, right?

_"Just sit there and look pretty. That’s all you’re really good for, isn’t it?"_

He didn’t want to alert Jin to his distress. That would be far too embarrassing, for someone he hardly knew to see him sitting there, wrapped in a blanket, having a breakdown. He took a large swallow of his coffee, thankful that it was still piping hot, the heat shocking his system somewhat. He then picked up his phone as it vibrated, and he saw a message from Izu, asking if he wanted to get lunch.

‘I can’t. Sorry. I promised to spend the day modeling. And…I’m not doing so hot. My mind started wandering and I’m sitting here crying. Can you keep texting me for a bit? I don’t want Jin to know there’s anything wrong. It’d be embarrassing.’

It took everything he had to send the text, hating to admit that he was struggling, hating to admit that he was coming apart at the seams, hating to admit that he would have happily crawled into bed and cried himself to sleep if he had the opportunity at the moment.

‘Aruto, you gotta stop being afraid to inconvenience other people. You’re important too! What happened? What got you crying?’

‘It’s stupid…I thought of a dumb joke, and it made me think about how much Gai hated them, and now I feel awful for having let him string me along as long as he did.’

‘Fuck him. He doesn’t deserve any more of your thoughts. You wasted enough of them, and enough of your time, on his nasty cheating ass. You’ve always loved jokes, and even though they’re terrible, you’re just not you without them. He kept trying to stifle what made you _you_. Fuck him! Tell me the bad joke. I’ll appreciate it more than he would.’

Aruto hesitated. ‘I don’t know…it wasn’t really a joke, kinda more of a situation…you’ll think I’m nuts.’

‘Aruto, honey, I already think you’re nuts. Tell me the joke.’

‘Don’t get mad.’

‘Oooooookay?’

‘I’m modeling, so I’ve just got this blanket covering me, right? And Jin was getting ready to start sculpting, and he wanted to get a good feel of my butt one more time for reference. And uh…I kinda got a little hard from it. And I had to fix the blanket so it was hiding. And I was thinking ‘oh, that pig needs to get back in the blanket, his head’s sticking out.’

No reply came, and Aruto felt a moment of panic. ‘Izu, please tell me you’re not on your way over here to beat up Jin for touching my butt.’

‘No, no, I’m not. Aruto, that was an awful joke.’

‘Gee, thanks.’

‘It’s part of your charm, though, you dork. Do you feel better now?’

Surprisingly, Aruto realized, he _did_. He wasn’t crying, and he was even smiling from Izu’s familiar banter. ‘I kinda do. Thanks, Izu.’

‘No problem. That’s what best friends are for. Don’t waste any more tears on that jackass, ok? You’ve already given him far too many. You’re not falling for that art kid just because he’s touching your butt regularly, are you?’

The abrupt change in subject made Aruto blink, and he felt heat rising up into his cheeks. ‘What? No!’

‘Hmm…suspicious…’

‘Izuuuuu’

‘From what I’ve gathered, he’s like…one of the more talented art students here. He always throws himself into his projects and he’s pretty antisocial because of it. So maybe he really doesn’t know who you are. I wonder if his art of your butt will be on display once it’s done.’

‘Oh geez…you think it will be? That’s a little embarrassing.’

‘What did you think he was gonna do with it? Keep it in his dorm? That would be even creepier. Especially if he puts a hole in it. There isn’t one, is there?’

‘Izu! I don’t know, he just started sculpting, and I don’t have eyes in the back of my head!’

‘I’m kidding. Probably. Anyway, I gotta get going, I’ve got to pretty myself up for my date. Or look respectable, at least. Dinner and a movie tonight. Next time, I’m going to try to convince her to go clubbing with me. She said I could goth her up a bit.’

‘Is that slang for something?’

‘ _No_ , you dork. Although I do hope I can give her a little goth tonight.’

“Ok, that’s officially too much info. I’ll let you go. Have fun. And…thanks for talking to me.’

‘Anytime, Aruto. Don’t catch a cold.’

Aruto smiled as he set his phone down, feeling considerably calmer than he had. Hopefully his eyes weren’t red from his crying jag; that would be harder to explain.

It felt like forever before Jin stopped working, and he excitedly beckoned Aruto down to see what he’d gotten done. It reminded Aruto of the plaster models in department stores that were used to model underwear, except this one definitely had more attention paid to the ass portion. 

“You’re sure it’s not…overdone?” Aruto asked, hoping he wasn’t offending Jin. “I mean…that’s how my butt really looks?”

Jin nodded. “It’s always wild when you see a drawing or sculpture that someone else does, because you look at yourself every day, and you’re used to how you see yourself through your eyes, you know? But this is absolutely how you look. That’s why I’ve been repeatedly feeling your butt every time we’re here. Like I said, it’s like committing it to memory. I could draw it in my sleep now, I think.”

“So, is this…it?” Aruto asked, not certain how he wanted to phrase the question. 

_Is this all? Now that you’ve sculpted my ass, am I never going to see you again? Am I going back to the dullness of my everyday life now?_

“Well…sort of? But not yet. This is self-hardening clay, so it doesn’t need to be fired. With any clay, though, there’s a chance that something could happen after it dries. It could crack. I’m really hoping it doesn’t, because I think this one is perfect. Even if it comes out unscathed…I would like to try making another. I’d love to do different mediums. I probably have enough to go by that I wouldn’t need you here every single time…but…it’s nice having someone around to show the final product to. And just having someone here so I’m not talking to myself.” Jin trailed off with a soft laugh. “For now, we’ll see what happens once this dries, and go from there. Why don’t you get dressed, and we’ll have lunch, and maybe I can give you a few examples of other things I’d like to try.”

Aruto nodded, hoping he didn’t look too relieved at not being immediately dismissed, wrapping the blanket more tightly around himself.

Even if it was just for art, it was nice to be wanted.


	6. Chapter 6

Aruto had figured he’d be spending most of the day with Jin while he worked, but Jin had sheepishly admitted that he’d done the sculpture so quickly, that there wasn’t much to do until it finished drying. They’d had lunch, and Jin had made a list of other mediums that he was interested in trying. There was going to be an art exhibition coming up later in the semester, and Jin thought that he could definitely get in with his selection of art. “But only if it’s ok with you, of course,” he’d said. “I mean…it’s your butt and all. I don’t need to say who the model is, because, you know, people feel like they’ll be looked at differently if they posed nude for someone. I can leave it as an anonymous model, or give like a stage name.” 

Aruto had been a bit overwhelmed by the discussion, and Jin had laughed. “Yeah, all the behind the scenes stuff you don’t think about, right? It’s absolutely ok if you don’t want any of this on display. There’s still a few weeks left to submit a request to be in the exhibition. Take your time and think it over, and just let me know. We’ll still meet up and all.” He’d tapped the list of ideas. “I’ll let you pick which one to do next, ok? Let’s see…how about we meet up on Wednesday? That’ll give us both time to enjoy the rest of the weekend, focus on our schoolwork, and figure out what to do next.”

Aruto pointed himself in the direction of his dorm and started slowly walking. This had been the only plan he’d had for the weekend, and the thought of going back to his dorm and studying sounded so dull. Lonely. 

He passed the new building that was currently under construction-–he wasn’t even sure what it was, if he was being honest. Maybe a new art building? He was still in the area, and he recalled how Jin mentioned the insulation being bad in the room where they’d been meeting. 

He saw a few workers step out of the building, along with a couple of suited men, who talked amongst themselves as they removed their hard hats.

Another man stepped out, taking a hard hat off, his hair remaining perfectly in place, and Aruto’s eyes went wide.

Amatsu Gai.

What..? Why was _he_ here?

The men continued to chat, laughing and shaking Gai’s hand, before they headed off. Gai discreetly wiped his hands on a pristine handkerchief, which he tucked back into his jacket pocket, before slipping a pair of spotless white gloves onto his hands.

Then, as if sensing Aruto’s presence, he turned slightly, and he took a step in Aruto’s direction.

This was absurd, Aruto thought, his body shaking in fear and anger. Why was Amatsu Gai here? Why was he still standing there, as if his feet had suddenly taken root? He should have run the moment he recognized Gai. Now that he knew that Aruto was here..!

“Well, well…this is certainly a surprise,” Gai said, his lips turning up into one of his cruel smiles as he halted, invading Aruto’s personal space. “What are _you_ doing here, Aruto-chan?”

Aruto gritted his teeth. “Don’t call me that. And I could ask you the same thing.”

Gai chuckled softly as he took another step closer to Aruto. Traces of his expensive cologne invaded Aruto’s senses, and he felt sick, remembering how at first, he’d thought it was such a sophisticated scent. Then it always felt as though it threatened to smother him whenever Gai got too close, whenever he would…

“Don’t tell me…are you attending classes now?” Gai asked, his eyes never once leaving Aruto’s. “Are you suddenly taking your inheritance seriously? You worried me, disappearing like you did.”

Bullshit, Aruto thought to himself. If Gai had worried, it had been from losing his exclusive access to the young, impressionable, easily bamboozled heir of Hiden Intelligence. Any naïve thoughts he’d had about a future with Gai had been shattered the day he’d shown up unannounced, wanting to surprise Gai with some of his favorite tea and an offer to go to lunch together.

He’d opened the door to Gai’s office, words dying on his lips when he saw Gai’s assistant sprawled on the desk, with Gai leaning over her. The angle of the desk left no doubt in Aruto’s mind as to what they were doing, as he watched Gai’s dick push into the young woman, heard her soft moans as his fingers traced over the delicate white lace of her bra. His presence hadn’t even been noticed by either of them, not even when the takeout container of tea slipped from his fingers, falling to the floor and spilling the expensive brew across the perfectly polished wood surface.

Aruto had left the office, not even waiting until he’d exited the Zaia Enterprises building before taking his phone out, calling the college that his grandfather had named in his will, where he’d expressed that Aruto should attend business courses so he could take his place as the Hiden Intelligence CEO upon graduation. Aruto had had very little interest in his late grandfather’s wishes, not wanting to inherit the company when he knew less than nothing about business—and especially since Hiden Intelligence already had capable people running the company in his grandfather’s absence. 

But if he had to be truthful, he’d hesitated on taking the classes because Gai had made it sound like it would be beyond his capabilities. He’d treated him like some starry-eyed naïve fool, and Aruto had just gone along with it.

Aruto had set everything up, so he could transfer in immediately. He’d gone back to his small apartment, packing up only the essentials—his clothing and a few personal effects—and had gone directly to the campus, moving into his dorm, acquiring his textbooks, with a grim determination that he would prove Amatsu Gai wrong. And he would most definitely never see the bastard again.

Aruto’s thoughts were interrupted as Gai moved even closer, fingers tilting his chin upward so he could not look away from Gai’s piercing gaze.

Then, suddenly, an arm went around Aruto’s shoulders, and he was drawn away from Gai’s touch. He bumped against something warm, and he turned his head to see an all-too familiar paint splattered shirt next to his cheek.

Jin..?

“Sorry I’m late. Are you ready to go?” 

A frown crossed Gai’s lips as he took in the disheveled, sloppy young man that had managed to move between him and Aruto, a large canvas messenger bag slung across his shoulder. “And who might _you_ be?”

“I’m Aruto’s boyfriend,” Jin stated, and Aruto had to struggle to not gawk at him. 

A soft snort came from Gai’s direction, and he aimed a small smirk at Aruto, before turning and walking away.

Aruto hoped he wasn’t shaking as badly as he thought he was, but if he was, Jin didn’t say anything. They stood in silence for some time, watching Gai grow smaller until he was just a speck in the distance. A speck that was getting into an expensive car and driving away. 

“Thank you,” Aruto finally said, his voice barely audible.

“I was heading out, and I thought I saw you over here. I figured that guy was one of your teachers or something, but like…you looked super uncomfortable. And that guy was giving off _the_ most rancid vibes,” Jin explained. “I wonder if he was some pervert or something, trying to bug students that are alone? Maybe we should report him to campus security…”

“No!” Aruto blurted. “I-it’s ok. Nothing happened. And he was talking to some people in charge, too.”

“That doesn’t matter. If he’s a creep, then…” Jin trailed off, seeing the way Aruto refused to lift his gaze from the ground, and he sighed softly. He’d had a scare, but it was over now, right? Hopefully that guy wouldn’t show his face again.

“Can I at least walk you back to your dorm?” Jin asked. “You know…just in case. I’ll make sure you get in ok, that nobody is hanging around waiting for you or anything. I mean, I’m sure it’s fine, right? But…”

_But you look so scared, and I don’t want to just leave you alone._

After a moment, Aruto finally nodded, murmuring the building number and his room number, and they headed off in that direction.

Neither of them seemed to notice that Jin’s arm was still around Aruto. And if either of them had noticed, they chose to not say anything about it.


	7. Chapter 7

It was slightly warmer the next time Aruto met up with Jin, and he couldn’t help but feel thankful. Maybe as it warmed up outside, it would warm up in the room, he thought to himself as he draped the blanket over his shoulders. Or maybe the room would always have that slight chill. Or perhaps it was a fine temperature, but once you were naked, it would feel chilly no matter what?

“I haven’t worked with charcoals in a while,” Jin murmured, as his hands ran gently across Aruto’s backside. “Hopefully I won’t wind up with five pages of messy sketches. I know _I'll_ wind up messy, though. It always winds up all over my hands.”

Jin’s hands were the only thing Aruto could really think of in these moments, he’d come to realize. It had been a little awkward at first, but now, the feeling of Jin’s hands sliding across his ass, taking in every curve, especially after he’d admitted how perfect he thought Aruto’s ass was? Now…Aruto was embarrassed to think how much he enjoyed this brief moment before Jin got to work. He swore every session, he wound up even harder than the one before, and he grew increasingly paranoid about making certain that the blanket was hiding his very prominent erection.

“You know…” Jin continued. “Maybe after this project is done…when I’ve done as much as I possibly can with your butt…maybe I should do the front.”

One of Jin’s hands slid beneath the blanket, fingers wrapping loosely around his shaft, and an alarmed sound left Aruto’s lips. 

“Can I, Aruto?” Jin breathed against his ear, giving him a few slow strokes. “I noticed every time, you know. It’s totally normal. I didn’t think I’d want to touch it this much, though.”

Jin’s finger ran lightly across the head of Aruto’s shaft, through the precum that had already begun to leak from the slit.

Then Jin was turning Aruto to face him, even as he lowered himself to his knees in front of him. “Let me make you feel good, Aruto,” he whispered.

Aruto couldn’t tear his eyes away as Jin moved closer, his lips brushing against the head of his shaft, tongue darting out to lick away the droplets of precum. 

Then he was moving closer, and Aruto watched his shaft disappear between Jin’s tempting lips, and his eyes fell closed, his lips parting with a soft gasp.

Then Jin was setting up a steady pace, his fingers running across Aruto’s ass before pressing into the soft flesh and using the grip to bring him in deeper. Aruto felt his shaft going in deeper, impossibly deep, bumping the back of Jin’s throat, and he moaned in surprise as a low hum echoed in Jin’s throat, the vibrations pulsing through his shaft.

Ahh…they really shouldn’t be doing something like this here…Aruto knew it, knew that anyone could walk past the room and hear his moans, but he simply did not want to stop.

“Jin…” Aruto breathed, his fingers tangling in Jin’s messy hair. “Don’t stop…”

One of Jin’s fingers slid questioningly across his entrance, and Aruto’s entire body trembled. God, he’d never been touched like this before, and he felt as though his legs were going to give out. Jin’s finger continued to move, not attempting to enter him, but simply massaging his sensitive flesh.

“J-Jin…haaa…I’m going to cum…Jin..!”

Aruto’s hips bucked shallowly against Jin, and his head fell back as a loud cry of completion left his lips.

*

Aruto’s eyes shot open, that cry echoing in his ears, and it took him several minutes to realize why he was in the dark and not in Jin’s embrace. His heart hammered painfully in his chest, and he sucked in lungfuls of air as he slowly came down.

It was dark. Nighttime. His sheets were tangled around his legs. He was…

He was in his dorm, in his bed. It hadn’t been real. It had been a dream. It had been…an incredibly vivid dream. His boxers clung uncomfortably to his groin, and he felt his face burning.

He’d had a wet dream about Jin. 

He felt as though he should be ashamed of himself, or embarrassed, but he simply wished that he could go back into the dream to see what would happen next. He could feel his cock stirring from the thought, and he whimpered softly.

Trying to ignore his thoughts, and his body’s reaction to these thoughts, he got out of bed, stumbling in the darkness to his dresser, and withdrawing a fresh pair of boxers. He made his way into the bathroom, intending on wiping himself clean with a washcloth and putting on his clean boxers and then crawling back into bed.

Instead, he found himself turning on the shower, and he hurriedly stripped and stepped beneath the warm spray, his hand drifting down to his hardening shaft.

He closed his eyes, remembering how Jin had looked in the dream, his lips wrapped around his shaft and looking up to meet Aruto’s gaze. Aruto exhaled shakily, his hand beginning to move along the length of his shaft, even as he pressed a finger against his entrance.

His breathing started to become labored as he found an acceptable pace, still focusing on dream Jin, pretending that it wasn’t his own hand that was working his shaft, but Jin’s lips. It wasn’t his own finger that rubbed insistently against him, it was Jin’s.

And this time, when he came, Jin’s name _did_ tumble from his lips. He sagged against the wall, panting as the water washed his release away. Aruto hadn’t touched himself since he’d come to college--he simply hadn't felt the need, or the desire to--and it had felt so good to finally find release. He felt on the verge of sleep, even standing in the shower.

Then the water temperature dipped from warm and comforting to cold and unforgiving, and Aruto’s eyes shot open as he turned the taps off.

And then it hit him. What he’d done.

Jin had been nothing but professional the entire time Aruto had modeled for him. He was kind. He had placed himself between Aruto and Amatsu Gai, without knowing anything about him. He couldn’t control his dreams, but he could control his own body, and he’d failed at doing so.

It felt freezing in the room, as Aruto toweled himself off and tugged on his clean boxers, before heading back into his room and curling up beneath the covers.

The shivering eventually subsided, but the guilt did not, and it took some time before sleep claimed him again.


	8. Chapter 8

Ever since he’d had that incredibly vivid dream about Jin—and reacted to it like a horrible, hormone-ridden teenager—Aruto had felt as though a mantle of guilt hung from his shoulders. He’d had a hard time sleeping soundly, and as a result, wound up stumbling through the rest of the weekend and the beginning of the week with bleary eyes and a headache that just wouldn’t seem to quit.

And what was worse, he couldn’t help but feel afraid about the upcoming modeling session. He felt like Jin would somehow _know_. How would he be able to sit in the same room as him? Jin was so kind, so professional about everything, and Aruto was…!

“Hey, are you ok? You keep spacing out,” Izu said, nudging Aruto with her elbow. “Lunch is almost over and you’ve barely eaten anything. Are you feeling sick? No offense, but you kinda look like shit.”

Aruto took a small bite of his sandwich, shaking his head. He didn’t even want to confide in Izu, even though he knew that she wouldn’t judge him. She never had.

“He was here the other day.”

Izu looked up from tossing her garbage into a conbini bag. “Huh?”

“Gai.”

“ _What_?! Why? Oh god, is he _stalking_ you?”

“Shh!” Aruto hissed. He didn’t need to attract anyone’s attention with the conversation. “He was coming out of that new building that’s being built. He was there with a few of the workers, and I think the other men were on the board of education. I’m not sure. I just…I saw him, and…”

“I hope to hell you ran up to him and kicked him in the balls for wasting precious moments of your youth,” Izu growled. “That’s what I would have done. I just hope he didn’t see you.”

“He did. He came over. I was…too scared and angry to run. He was trying to act like he’d been all worried about me, got all up in my personal space. Then…Jin saw him bothering me, and he came over and got between us, acting like he was my boyfriend.”

Izu’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “You’re kidding.”

Aruto shook his head. “He even walked me back to my dorm afterward, even after we both watched Gai leave.”

Izu leaned back in her seat. “How many people would just ignore someone else in distress? But he went and intervened like that…shit, Aruto, ask him out. Maybe he’s sweet on you.”

“W-what? No…I couldn’t.”

“Why not? He’s been practically worshipping your ass for what, a week now?” Izu grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. “Give him a chance to worship it in _other_ ways.”

Aruto ducked his head, feeling his face heat up, remembering how Jin’s finger had rubbed against him so insistently in the dream. 

“That creep Amatsu better pray that I don’t see him here, or he’s gonna wind up with a size 6 crushing that nasty dick of his. Then he won’t be going around porking people that I care about.” 

Aruto regarded her curiously. _People?_ To his surprise, color rose up in her cheeks. “Izu, what..?”

“Ok, ok! The date that I went on…it was with his assistant. Yaiba Yua.”

Aruto’s mouth dropped open in complete shock, and he couldn’t do more than stare at Izu. “But…but she was the one that he was..!”

“I know, I know, and believe me, after you told me about that? I’d had this big plot in mind to cause trouble. Nobody screws around on my best friend when they’re dating him! I went to Zaia Enterprises a few days after you transferred in here, and was acting like I wanted to apply. I spoke directly to Yua, figuring that surely there was some kind of opening I could pretend to apply for. And she could have just given me the application and not given a shit, but she just lowered her voice and said ‘I’d advise against it. The higher-ups here are dishonest and have busy hands, if you catch my drift.’ And the look she gave Amatsu’s office door? I’m amazed it didn’t burst into flame! Then she gave me this little smile, and holy _shit_ , I’d never been so turned on in my whole life. I told her to skip the application, and asked her out. She is _so_ smokin’ hot.”

Aruto gave her a blank look. “I guess I never really noticed, since the only time I ever really saw her, the guy I was dating was balls deep in her.”

“I know…and that’s why I didn’t tell you right away about her. But add it to Amatsu’s list of skeevy sins, and don’t blame Yua for it. He was lying to her, too. She had no idea that he was dating you at the time. You know how he always told you not to show up there without notice? I guess he wanted to play both sides of the fence. The day you showed up there? She saw you rush out, but she didn’t know who you were. She'd thought you were an intern or something. Amatsu said something vague about you being someone he was ‘dallying with.’ Can you believe that shit? You were head over heels for his lying ass! And he was cheating on you on top of everything else! Yua wants to get the hell out of Zaia, and I don’t blame her. She said she might wind up accidentally breaking one of his fingers if he tries to touch her again. He’s trying to make it look like she’s overreacting, just like he did with you. He’s a lying, cheating, gaslighting piece of shit.” Izu trailed off, huffing angrily, before sheepishly meeting Aruto’s eyes. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

Aruto shook his head. “As long as she’s not lying to you. I’d be a lot angrier about that. But you’ve seemed…pretty happy lately, and I’m glad for that. I could do without the texts at 3am informing me that you just had ‘the most amazing sex **ever** ’, though.”

Izu grinned. “You just wait. Maybe you’ll get together with art boy and you’ll get yourself some of the most amazing sex ever. You deserve it.”

“Izu, I barely know him. This is more like…a professional relationship.”

“A professional relationship where he’s fondling your butt several days a week. Uh huh.”

“You should see his sketches, though! Ah…today we’re going to see how the clay sculpture came out,” Aruto recalled.

“I think you should at least ask him out for coffee. Even if you wait till he’s done…working on your ass,” Izu said, trailing off as she tried to hold back a snicker.

“I can’t.”

“Why not? Even if nothing happens…you deserve to be happy, Aruto. You need more friends. You need to find your smile again. When you texted me the other day with that stupid joke about the pig in a blanket…god, how long has it _been_ since you’ve told a joke? Laughed till you cried? He took everything that was special about you and stripped it away until you turned into this…docile, quiet piece of arm candy, and you still haven’t come completely back.” Izu paused, pressing her lips together. “I miss my unapologetically loud, dorky best friend, who never cared what anyone thought of him.”

“Izu…” Aruto reached over and took her hands on his. “Hey, c’mon, don’t start crying.”

“I’m not,” Izu replied, trying her best to sound offended, even though her lips were trembling. “I refuse to fuck up my eyeliner. Those wings took forever, and they’re perfect.”

Aruto laughed softly. “I _am_ trying. You know that, right? It’s just…it’s a lot that happened all at once. I know, it’s been months, I should be over it.”

Izu sighed, giving his hands a squeeze, before she got up from the table. “One day, maybe you’ll wake up and think ‘why did I ever go out with that gross jerk?’ and anything you’ve been trying to work through will just…be released. He won’t be on your mind anymore, and you’ll be able to focus on becoming a great businessman, and you’ll find yourself a boyfriend who will appreciate you. And your ass. And the rest of you. Because you’re pretty great, and you deserve someone who realizes that, dammit. Ok, my pep talk is over, and I’ve gotta get to class. And so do you. Go forth and learn, and then go get your butt touched. Who knows, maybe someday he'll want to touch the front, too.”

Aruto’s face went red, and he barely heard Izu’s laughter as she set off toward her next class.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****WARNING!!! PLEASE READ!!****
> 
> There is a brief moment of noncon in this chapter. I don't want to put the rape/noncon tag on for the entire series since I don't think there will be any further instances, but I want to put a warning up for anyone who needs it.

Aruto felt somewhat cheered after his conversation with Izu, and although he still felt tired, he paid attention as best he could in his classes. He was going to have to start studying tonight, he thought; there was an exam coming up in a few weeks, and he knew his grades weren’t the greatest in the class. It was so hard to focus on the material sometimes, and there was such a steady supply of it! For a moment, he wished that his grandfather hadn’t wound up founding one of the biggest businesses in the city. Maybe it would all seem less overwhelming if he were simply taking over a small family-run business. A restaurant or something like that. Or if he had simply left the business to the people that were already undoubtedly doing a fine job running it. 

How different his life would be, Aruto thought to himself, as he started for the art building. If he’d never had anything to do with Hiden Intelligence, then Amatsu Gai never would have given him a second glance. That whole section of his life would never have happened. Maybe he could have gone to college for something that he actually wanted to learn.

Maybe he never would have met Jin.

Aruto stopped in his tracks. Where had _that_ come from? Surely their paths would have crossed at some point, if they were attending the same college. But maybe he wouldn’t have let his laundry pile up as much as he had, and he never would have worn his laundry day clothes to class, because he’d been too busy studying to keep track of what day it was.

He shook his head and continued on his way. There were too many “what ifs” floating around in his mind, and surely being tired wasn’t helping matters much. He needed to calm himself before he got to the art building, and he definitely needed to _not_ think about that damn dream.

Easier said than done, he thought to himself.

*

Jin was standing in front of one of the tables when Aruto arrived, and he didn’t look up when he entered the room. A nervous feeling swirled in Aruto’s stomach at this unusual behavior, and he set his bag down, yelping in surprise when he missed the table entirely, and his books spilled out onto the floor

Jin turned toward the noise, and he smiled when he saw Aruto frantically stuffing books back into the bag, before setting it aside and coming over to join him. The sculpture sat on the table, and it looked perfect, if you somehow didn’t see the large crack that ran across one side. “I really thought it would come out perfectly. It wasn’t too dry, wasn’t too moist. I don’t know what I did wrong,” he murmured.

The room was silent, and Jin glanced at Aruto, alarmed to see his shoulders shaking. “H-hey, it’s ok! Don’t be sad. This was just the first try…there’s plenty of time, and plenty of clay, to do another.”

Aruto’s shoulders continued shaking, perhaps even more than before, and he pressed a hand to his mouth, but it was too late to stifle a soft giggle. 

Jin had been about to touch Aruto’s shoulder, and he paused, his hand hovering in midair. “Aruto..?”

“I’m sorry,” Aruto blurted, his voice shaky from trying to contain his laughter. “But…it’s just…the butt…cracked.”

Jin stared at him in confusion as Aruto finally gave in to his giggles, still trying to keep them quiet. Had he cracked? 

Wait…

It took a moment, but then a soft laugh left Jin’s lips. Their eyes met, and that seemed to be all it took; they both doubled over, laughing until tears were coming from their eyes, and Aruto had to take a seat because his ribs hurt so much.

God, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed like that.

“The butt cracked,” Jin wheezed, and that set Aruto off again.

By the time they both managed to calm down, nearly half an hour had passed, and Aruto felt like he was going to pass out. He took a drink from the water bottle that Jin handed him, trying to get back to breathing normally. Ah…his eyes were raw from wiping away all the tears, and his cheeks hurt from laughing so much.

It was incredibly how much lighter he felt, all of a sudden.

“That wasn’t even really funny, but…it really _was_ ,” Jin finally said. “The butt has two cracks.”

Aruto snorted. “Stop, stop, if I start laughing again, I might die.”

“Sorry,” Jin replied, grinning. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed that much.”

“Me either,” Aruto admitted. “I used to go see standup shows, but then…” He trailed off with a shrug. How could he say that his ex found the shows to be juvenile and a waste of time, that he used to say Aruto laughed far too loudly and for too long? “A serious businessman wouldn’t waste his time on such infantile humor,” he’d once said. That had been the real reason he’d stopped going to the shows.

“Come to think of it…I swear I saw a flyer or something about a show in town sometime soon. Hmm…where the heck did I see it?” Jin murmured, tapping his fingers on the table. “I’ll have to see if I can track it down. If I figure it out, and we haven’t missed it…do you want to go see it with me?”

Aruto blinked in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting that! He wasn’t dreaming again, was he? He casually pinched his arm, wincing slightly. No, not a dream, then. 

After a moment’s hesitation, Aruto managed to nod, a small smile on his lips. “That sounds fun,” he admitted.

“Cool. I’ll try to find out before we meet next. Man…I don’t know if I can trust myself to even draw anything right now. My eyes are all blurry from all that laughing,” Jin said. “It felt pretty great, though, don’t you think? I mean, my face is killing me, but it’s worth it.”

Aruto couldn’t help but agree.

“I guess today was kind of a dud, then,” Jin said with a sigh. “I’m not sure what to do with this piece…I hate getting rid of stuff. I usually just bring it home. I mean…it’s kind of weird, but…do you want to take it? Hmm…maybe not today, since you have a bunch to carry. If you don’t want to, it’s ok…”

“Maybe I will,” Aruto said, surprising them both. “I don’t really have much in my dorm. It can be an interesting conversation-starter.”

“Or it’ll just keep you in a good mood. You’ll laugh whenever you see it. Ok, I’ll put it aside till next time, then. Hmm…should we do another weekend for another try at a sculpture?”

“That would be fine. Saturday?” 

Jin nodded. “Same time as before?”

“And I’ll bring the snacks this time,” Aruto reminded him. “You’ve done so much so far, and I haven’t really contributed…”

“Sure you have!” Jin replied. “Remember, you’re my muse. I wouldn’t be doing _any_ of this without you.”

The way Jin smiled at him was suddenly too much, and Aruto ducked his head in embarrassment. “I…guess I’ll head out, then. I’ll see you on Saturday,’ he said, getting up from his seat and grabbing his bag.

“Rest up before then, ok? You looked worn out, even before all the laughing,” Jin called after him. “Take care of yourself before anything else.”

Aruto smiled and nodded, then was on his way.

Jin remained seated for some time, looking the sculpture over, trying to figure out what had gone wrong to cause the crack. In all honesty, he didn’t mind. Like he said, it had been a first go…but mostly, it had given him that wonderful moment with Aruto, where they’d lost themselves in laughter.

Jin hadn’t been lying when he’d said that it had felt great. And it had been wonderful to see Aruto truly relaxed like that. 

He finally rose from his seat, tucking the sculpture safely away till the weekend. As he headed back to grab his own bag, his foot bumped against something, and he glanced down to see a rather hefty textbook on the floor. Oh…that must have been one of the things that had fallen out of Aruto’s bag earlier. He might not have even realized that he was missing it, and it would be terrible if he needed it for class or studying and found that it was gone. 

Jin knew where Aruto’s dorm was. It would only take a few extra minutes for him to go return it. It was no trouble. And maybe he would get to see Aruto smile again.

His mind made up, Jin gathered up his bag and the textbook, locking the door behind him, before heading across campus at a quick pace. The temperature had dropped considerably and the wind had picked up, and his thin sweater wasn’t quite cutting it.

When he reached Aruto’s dorm, he slipped into the building with a sigh, thankful to be somewhere even a little warmer. And going up two flights of stairs helped warm him up even more.

When he reached Aruto’s room, he noticed that the door was slightly ajar, but he heard a soft voice from within, so surely Aruto was in? Maybe his door hadn’t latched when he’d closed it. Then he heard an odd sound of alarm, followed by something that sounded like choking, and he reached out to push the door open. “Aruto?”

The man that had been bothering Aruto the other day was in the apartment, and was casting an irritated look in Jin’s direction. Aruto was on his knees, a look of alarm in his eyes. The stranger’s hand was buried in Aruto’s hair, pressed against the back of his head, and he was using the grip to shove his cock further into Aruto’s mouth, even as he gagged around it.

“What the fuck..? Let go of him!” Jin shouted, drawing his fist back and swinging it at the smug bastard’s face. He wasn’t a fighter and he knew it, but this guy was..!

His hand was batted aside, and Jin staggered a few steps back.

“Tch…what a pain,” Gai stated. He let his length slip from Aruto’s mouth, enjoying the sounds of distress he was making. “You were never very good at that, were you.” 

He tucked himself back into his pants, adjusting his clothing as he stared Jin down, then simply stepped past him and left the room.

“H-hey! Get back here, you..!”

“Don’t…”

Jin paused at Aruto’s quiet plea, and he went to his side, reaching out to touch him, before hesitating. He might not want anyone to touch him right now. Not after… _that_. He wanted to chase that guy down and beat the crap out of him. He at least wanted to call the police! Had that guy been laying in wait for Aruto? 

If Jin hadn’t showed up to return the textbook, how far would things have escalated? 

Who _was_ that guy?

Aruto’s gaze lifted from the floor, and he saw Jin still crouched beside him, his body shaking. He was probably disgusted by what he’d walked in on. 

“Do you have a suitcase? A gym bag? Something like that?”

Aruto looked at Jin in confusion, but finally managed to nod. 

“Good. You should get out of here for a couple of days. That guy is clearly a lunatic. You really should call the police…”

“No.”

“He was assaulting you..!”

“No!”

Jin trailed off. Why was Aruto so unwilling to do anything about this man? There had to be a reason…but even if there was, he doubted Aruto would tell him about it. Not today. Maybe not ever.

“If you won’t report him, you should at least stay away from your room. You…can come stay with me, till you figure out what you want to do,” Jin offered. 

Aruto was silent for several minutes, and Jin was beginning to wonder if he’d gone into shock. But Aruto finally managed to rise onto unsteady legs, and he went into his small bedroom, retrieving a duffle bag from his closet and mechanically filling it with several sets of clothing. When he was through, he shouldered the bag, then picked up his discarded bag of textbooks that laid scattered on the floor (when Gai had unexpectedly shoved the door open, following Aruto into the room, shoving him so he tripped over his own feet and fell on the floor, then that grip on his hair yanking him onto his knees, the cock forced past his lips, Gai snarling "come on, take it all in, I know you can do it"), and carefully put the books back in, before picking it up.

“Here, I can take that,” Jin offered. “I found one of your books on the floor when I was leaving, that’s why I showed up.” He slid the textbook into the bag, then headed for the door, waiting for Aruto to follow.

Jin had never felt the urge to harm another human being, but as he watched Aruto quietly close the door and lock it behind him, before following him out of the building like a lost puppy…he realized that he wished serious harm upon this man who had set his sights on Aruto.


	10. Chapter 10

It didn’t take long for them to reach Jin’s dorm and arrive his room, but by the time Jin unlocked the door and waved Aruto in, he felt as though hours had passed. The cold air had done a good job of calming him down, but even so, if that man had shown up again, he wouldn’t have hesitated to try and punch him again. All he had to do was remember the panicked look in Aruto’s eyes, and he could feel his blood boiling.

He didn’t need to be dwelling on these thoughts right now, though. He needed to get Aruto inside and make sure he was comfortable. He should really try again to convince him to call the police…

“Can I brush my teeth?”

“Huh? Oh…sure. The bathroom’s right over here,” Jin said, starting down the short hallway. 

“Ah…I didn’t bring my toothbrush. I only grabbed clothes…everything is still in my bathroom.”

Geez…Jin hadn’t even thought about that when he’d instructed Aruto to pack clothes for a few days. He hadn’t considered everyday things like a toothbrush or hairbrush. “Well, shoot…Oh! Hang on,” he said, ducking into the bathroom and switching on the light, before rummaging through the messy medicine cabinet. “I thought so. Here,” he said, holding out a package that had once contained two toothbrushes, but now only held a single one. “You’re welcome to use anything of mine that you need for now.”

Aruto just stared blankly at the toothbrush, and Jin decided to not overwhelm him for the moment. He simply set the toothbrush and his tube of toothpaste on the counter, then headed out of the room. “I think there’s a bottle of mouthwash under the sink, too. I’m not sure how old it is, though. Anyway…I’ll make us some tea, ok?” Jin said.

Aruto didn’t reply, and Jin sighed softly as he trudged toward the kitchen. He hoped Aruto drank tea; he’d been bringing him coffee thus far during the modeling sessions, but Jin didn’t think it was the best beverage choice at the moment. Calming and soothing would be best. Didn’t he have some chamomile tea left?

Seeing Aruto like this was awful, Jin thought, setting two mugs on the counter. He thought back to earlier—barely over an hour earlier, Jin realized—when Aruto had been laughing with such abandon, and Jin had found himself wanting to know more about him. He liked black coffee, he liked comedy, he was studying business, he had the most amazing ass Jin had ever laid eyes on…but what else? On the walk to Aruto’s dorm, Jin had started wondering how he could find out more about his shy muse. Maybe he could toss a few casual questions out while he was sketching. Maybe he should invite Aruto out for coffee, to thank him for his time, even if they wound up going to the comedy show together. Jin couldn’t deny that his heart had started beating a little faster when he’d thought about spending some time with Aruto outside of school.

Jin shook his head, concentrating on fixing their tea. Did Aruto take his without anything added, like with his coffee? He peered out of the kitchen, surprised to see Aruto sitting on the couch, his blank gaze aimed at his hands, which sat loosely on his lap.

“Aruto? Do you take anything in your tea?” he asked.

It took a moment for Aruto to work through the fog that had settled over him, and he murmured, “Lemon, if you have it.”

Jin inwardly sighed in relief, suddenly incredibly thankful that he’d gone grocery shopping a few days ago. He squeezed some lemon into Aruto’s mug, bringing it out to him, glad to hear Aruto’s softly spoken “thank you” when he placed the mug in his hands. At least he was talking. Jin didn’t ordinarily drink chamomile tea, but he felt that it was called for today. They both needed their nerves soothed.

Jin went into the living room, glad to see Aruto sipping at his tea. He sat on the other end of the couch, making sure to give Aruto plenty of room. “Are you hungry? I could make something in a little bit.” 

Aruto shook his head, staring into his mug, then blinked when he felt his phone vibrating in his hoodie pocket. He looked nervous as he withdrew the device, and an assortment of emotions crossed his face as he looked at the display, before he thrust the phone toward Jin. “I…I can’t right now,” he whispered, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks, his mug tipping alarmingly in his hand.

Jin reached out, taking the mug before its contents spilled, pushing aside a few things on the low table so he could set it down, along with his own mug. “Then don’t answer right now. It’s ok.”

“But…it’s Izu…”

For some reason, Jin’s heart clenched. “Your…girlfriend?” he asked. When Aruto shook his head, Jin couldn’t help but feel ashamed at the relief that he felt. “A friend, then?” Aruto nodded. “Then she’d understand if you don’t answer right away, right? You can’t be available to the world all the time…you need time for yourself, too.”

The phone slipped from his fingers, and then Jin was knocked back against the cushions as he found himself with an armful of Aruto. His face pressed against Jin’s shirt, but even that wasn’t enough to muffle the wracking sobs that shook his body.

Jin felt as though his heart were breaking as he listened to Aruto cry, felt his tears soaking into the fabric of his shirt, and he tentatively wrapped his arms around the young man’s shaking form, wanting to offer him some form of comfort and contact, but not wanting to frighten him. When Aruto didn’t push him away, Jin slowly and gently began to rub his back, hoping to calm him a bit, whispering, “It’s ok…just let it out. You’re safe here.” 

It took some time for Aruto’s sobs to taper off into soft whimpers, and then stop altogether, and when Jin glanced down at his still form, he was surprised to see Aruto’s eyes closed, his lips parted slightly in sleep. His cheeks were slightly flushed and a mess of tear tracks, his eyelashes damp.

Jin suddenly wished for his sketchbook, so he had a way to capture it.

Aruto was beautiful.

Jin couldn’t help himself; he leaned down ever so slightly, his lips brushing against Aruto’s cheek. Aruto shifted, making a soft sound as he snuggled closer, before he settled back into sleep.

Jin suddenly felt so warm, and he ached to wake Aruto and promise to protect him, to promise him anything at all, as long as he could keep holding him just like this. If he could just see him smile and hear him laugh again.

Instead, Jin pulled a throw blanket off the back of the couch, carefully draping it over Aruto, doing his best to not disturb him.

Now was not the time for those thoughts.


	11. Chapter 11

Jin sighed as he left his last class of the day, shivering as the wind seemed to cut right through the fabric of his hoodie, and he tugged the hood up, cinching the drawstrings so it wouldn’t simply be blown right back.

It had been two days since he’d brought Aruto home with him, and he hadn’t gone to classes either of those days. Every time Jin went into the living room, Aruto was burrowed beneath the heavy blanket Jin had given him. He’d offered Aruto use of his bed, saying he’d sleep on the couch instead, wanting his guest to be comfortable. But Aruto had shaken his head, saying the couch was fine. At least it folded out, and even though it looked old as the hills, it was still comfortable.

Jin knew Aruto had to still be shaken from the encounter with that man in white. Even if he didn’t say as much, he looked…haunted. Jin wished there was something he could do, or say, to help Aruto through this, but…well, it was beyond his area of expertise. And he couldn’t exactly ask someone for advice, not for such a delicate situation with someone he hardly knew. 

The previous day, Jin had come home, and Aruto had been sitting up on the couch, which he’d taken as a good sign, even if he was still wrapped up in the blanket.

“I got you something,” Jin had said, holding his hand out to Aruto, waiting for one of his hands to emerge from his blanket cocoon, before he deposited a small wrapped item in it. “One of the girls in my art history class makes soaps. They’re super nice…the ones in my bathroom are all ones that she made. I don’t know what kinds of smells you like, but…I got you strawberry lavender. Since you don’t have your own soap and I know mine are like the typical weird art kid scents…and I just wanted to get you something to cheer you up. Look…it’s got strawberry seeds in it, too, for exfoliating. And she puts stones in them all, for different benefits. This one is rose quartz, for self-love, and…well…I know we barely know each other, but…it sucks seeing you so down. If…you should want to talk at all, you can. Or maybe not, since we don’t know each other all that well?”

Jin had trailed off, embarrassed at how much he was babbling, but he’d caught the barest hint of a smile on Aruto’s lips, before he murmured a soft “thank you” and he’d felt…warm. He wanted to help Aruto through things as best he could, and if it was with something as simple as a pretty bar of soap and a hot meal each evening, then he would happily do it.

“Hey! YO! Tall guy!”

Jin stopped in his tracks, looking around, and saw a short girl with chin-length green-streaked black hair hurrying up to him. He’d seen her before…it was hard to overlook her, in her very goth-style clothes and tall platform boots. And she was regarding him rather suspiciously with her kohl-rimmed eyes.

“You’re Jin, right?” she finally asked.

Jin nodded, perplexed. “Yeah. Um…and you are..?”

“Izu. I’m Aruto’s best friend, and he’s been unreachable for the past two days. His professor is kinda pissed that he’s missed class, and he hasn’t even responded to texts. He was modeling for you, right? Have you seen him? There’s no answer at his dorm, either, and I’m getting worried.” 

Ah…she was the one who had been texting Aruto that first night he’d stayed at Jin’s, when he’d collapsed against him, sobbing until he’d fallen asleep. Jin had been tempted to ask whoever was sending all the texts to leave him be for the night, but he thought that was a bit much for someone that Aruto barely knew. It would be like an invasion of privacy, he’d thought, and so he’d simply let the phone be, hearing it vibrate across the low table every so often.

Geez…he didn’t know how much Aruto had told her about him, and he didn’t want her to think he was doing anything sketchy. Even though she was tiny, she was kind of intimidating, and Jin tried to choose his words carefully. “He’s…not at his dorm right now.”

Izu gave him a look, as if she were dealing with someone with no common sense. “Um, yeah, I kinda figured that out when I didn’t get an answer.”

“Well…yeah. Um…he’s kinda…been staying with me.” Izu’s eyes narrowed, and Jin held his hands up. “It’s not what you’re thinking. A couple days ago, he…”

Jin trailed off. He didn’t want to come right out and say what he’d walked in on, even if this was Aruto’s best friend. “Someone was…bothering him. I was worried about it, so I suggested he stay at my dorm for a few days.”

Izu’s frown deepened. “Is this ‘someone’ a creepy guy in all white?”

Jin blinked in surprise. “Y-yeah. How did you..?”

“Fuck,” Izu hissed. “What happened? Was it…bad?”

“Bad enough that I think he’s afraid to go outside. Who _is_ that guy? Has this happened before?”

Izu shook her head. “It’s not my story to tell, but yeah, Aruto definitely knows him.”

“Are you busy right now? Can you come and try to talk to him? I’m kinda worried about him, and I don’t know what to do. I tried to convince him to call the cops, but…”

“He won’t,” Izu said with a sigh. “I’ll try talking to him. He’s stubborn as hell, so who knows if it’ll do any good, but he can’t just hide from the world forever.”

“Yeah, if he misses much more class, he’s gonna have a hard time catching up, I’d imagine. If he flunks, I bet his folks would be pissed,” Jin mused. “It costs an arm and a leg to go here.”

Izu was looking at him curiously, and Jin began to feel uneasy under her intense gaze. “W-what?”

“Man, you really _don't_ know, do you?” she said quietly, more to herself than to anyone else. Then, shaking her head, she said, “It doesn’t matter right now. If you don’t mind, I would like to try and talk Aruto down. This wouldn’t be the first time he’s withdrawn like this.”

Jin nodded, then headed back to his dorm with Izu just a few steps behind. He knew his strides were definitely much longer than hers, but she kept up with surprisingly little effort. For some reason, Jin thought that he definitely didn’t want to ever be on her bad side.

When he let them into his dorm room, he stepped aside, taking off his shoes, even as Izu unzipped her massive boots and stepped out of them, before following him to the living room.

Aruto was sitting up on the sofa, wrapped in the blanket, as usual, and when he saw them enter the room, his eyes widened at the sight of his friend. “Izu..?”

Izu went right over to the sofa, sitting beside Aruto, then glanced at Jin, who sensed that she was silently asking for a few minutes alone to talk to her friend. “Ah…let me make us some tea, ok? I don’t know about you, but I’m freezing,” he said, catching Izu’s silent look of thanks, before he ducked into the kitchen.

“What are you doing here?” Aruto asked, once they were alone.

“You’ve been off the radar for two days, Aruto. Two entire days I’ve been wondering if you were dead or locked in someone’s basement because you didn’t answer a single text or call. I was getting really worried,” Izu said. “I happened to see your tall buddy when I was leaving class, and hoped he’d seen you. What happened? It was Gai, wasn’t it?”

At the mention of Gai’s name, Aruto seemed to withdraw into himself, pulling the blankets closer.

“Jin told me that something happened, and it was pretty bad. I didn’t pry because it’s really not my business, but dammit, Aruto, somebody bothering my best friend _is_ my business. Especially when it’s that scumbag,” Izu said, putting a gentle hand on Aruto’s shoulder, trying to not notice how he flinched slightly from the touch.

Aruto’s phone chose that moment to vibrate, and both of their eyes were drawn toward the low battery warning, and the notification of an incoming text from Gai.

“That piece of shit…” Izu growled, snatching up the phone and pressing the home button. “I’ll tell him exactly where he can shove it…”

She trailed off abruptly, her eyes widening, and Aruto couldn’t help but lean in to see what had happened.

He saw the text first. _"It would be terrible if your new boyfriend saw this."_ Then his gaze wandered up to the photo, and if there had been anything in his stomach, he felt as though he would have vomited on the spot.

“Aruto, what…what the hell did he make you do?”

“I-it’s nothing…”

“The hell it is! You can’t tell me this was consensual! Look at your eyes!”

“I might have been a little drunk…”

“You don’t drink, Aruto. You never have. Did he make you?”

Jin hesitantly stepped into the room at the sound of their raised voices, just as Aruto snatched the phone from Izu’s hand and flung it across the room. It hit the wall, then fell to the floor, skidding to a stop by Jin’s foot. “Ah, your screen’s probably cracked,” he said, suddenly wishing he’d minded his own business, but he’d wanted to make certain that everything was all right. He bent down, picking up the phone, not really registering Izu’s sound of alarm as his thumb bumped against the home button.

The phone screen was spiderwebbed, but he still saw the picture through the cracks. Aruto was laying back on a bed, the silky sheets beneath him tangled and wrinkled. His arms were drawn up over his head, resting against the mattress, and what looked like a necktie was tied around his wrists. Cum was splattered across his chest, and from the angle, Jin could tell that whoever had taken the photo was the one whose cock was buried in Aruto.

But the worst part was Aruto’s eyes. His gaze was so glassy, so unfocused, that there was no doubt in Jin’s mind that he wasn’t entirely _there_ for what was happening.

Then he saw the text beneath the photo, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

That man…the one who had been harassing Aruto… _he_ had sent this?

The phone was suddenly snatched from his hand, and Jin blinked, meeting Izu’s wide eyes. Aruto had drawn his knees up to his chest, and had practically vanished beneath the blanket in his shame.

“Aruto…who… _is_ this guy?” Jin finally managed. This wasn’t just a case of a random creep; this was someone who knew Aruto, judging by the text, by the photo, by the name that sat at the top of the message, instead of it just coming from an unknown number.

“It doesn’t matter,” Aruto replied, his voice muffled by the blanket and his arms.

“Yes it does! Aruto…Jin is trying to help you, and you’re not telling him the truth. I am so sick of Gai…he just won’t go away, and it pisses me off that he’s still making your life miserable. He’s a goddamn stalker,” Izu said. “And if he’s found out that you’re on this campus, it’s just gonna get worse. It _has_ gotten worse, from what I’m understanding. You need to report this, or it’s just going to keep escalating.”

Aruto shook his head, hugging his legs tighter.

“Aruto, you have proof. You have a witness,” izu said, glancing at Jin. “Right? You saw him bothering Aruto?” Jin nodded mutely. 

“No one would believe me,” Aruto said. “Why would they believe me? I’m nobody, and he’s a CEO.”

Jin’s jaw dropped. “He’s _what_?”

Izu sighed. “Amatsu Gai. He’s the CEO of Zaia Enterprises.”

Jin frowned. “Zaia..? That sounds kinda familiar…”

Izu stared at him in disbelief. “They’re one of the biggest corporations in town! Haven’t you heard of the Zaia Spec?”

“I don’t think…oh! That VR glasses thingie?” Jin said, then shrugged. “I’ve heard of it, but it’s too advanced for me. I mean…I still have an original Nintendo system. I’m not really up to date on all the newest electronics.”

“Are you for real?” Izu asked, fixing him with that unsettling stare of hers once again, as if she were looking directly into his brain and trying to determine how truthful he was being. She must have seen something that convinced her, because she finally lowered herself from where she’d been balanced on her tiptoes. “So then you probably _don't_ know.”

“Don’t know what?” Jin asked, suddenly feeling incredibly confused and overwhelmed by everything that was happening.

Izu glanced at Aruto, who was still curled up in a ball. “Aruto, you need to tell him.”

Aruto peered out of his blanket sanctuary, and Jin could tell that he’d been crying. He wanted to tell him it was fine, it didn’t matter; he wanted to hug him, then draw him a hot bath and fix him a nice dinner. He just wanted Aruto to stop looking so sad. So distressed. It hurt.

Aruto’s lips moved several times before he finally was able to speak. “I’m the heir of Hiden Intelligence. Hiden Aruto. I’m studying business so I can take over as the company CEO when I graduate.”

Jin blinked in surprise. CEO? That was a pretty lofty goal, he thought to himself. “Hiden Intelligence…is…what, exactly?”

Izu stared at him as though he’d suddenly sprouted an extra head, and Aruto just looked at him blankly. 

“What? Should I have heard of them?” Jin said, trailing off and trying his best to think. “Hiden…oh! Aren’t they the company that makes Roombas?”

“You… _are_ from Japan, right? You’re not an exchange student?” Izu asked. “Hiden Intelligence is an old ass company. They specialize in AI development…so, yeah, they make Roombas, but they make all sorts of complicated computer programs for like…space programs, and nuclear reactors, and a bunch of other shit, but…” izu trailed off and snorted back a laugh. “Roombas. That’s probably the most low tech thing they produce.”

“I’m a low tech guy. I’m an art student, I don’t know a lot about computers or anything like that. It’s not interesting to me,” Jin grumbled.

“Aruto, I think you’re 100% safe with this guy,” Izu mused, sitting down beside him once again. “Roombas. I can’t fuckin’ believe it.”

The room was silent for several moments, before Aruto mumbled, “They’re good Roombas, though.”

Izu glanced at him, relieved to see his lips lifting ever so slightly into a weak smile. “Are you gonna be ok, Aruto? I know nobody can talk you into doing anything…but you at least gotta go back to classes. Getting back up to speed after two days is gonna be a bitch, but you can do it. I’ll help you.” She leaned in, bumping her shoulder against his, and whispered, “It would really get his goat if you ace your classes, graduate, and take that seat as Hiden’s CEO. He didn’t believe in you. Prove him wrong.”

Izu could tell that her words had reached Aruto, even if he didn’t show it, and she sat back, picking up her mug of tea and draining it in one long swallow, before getting to her feet. “I gotta get going, I have a ton of reading to get done. Block that jerk’s number so you don’t get anxious every time you get a text, ok? Want me to do it for you?” When Aruto nodded, she scooped up his phone from where she’d left it face-down on the low table, then scrolled down to block Gai’s number. “There. Baby steps, but it’s a start. I’ll see you tomorrow for lunch, right?” Aruto nodded again, and she smiled, heading over to put her boots on and grab her bag.

Jin followed to see her out, giving a small bow as she opened the door. “Thank you.”

“I should be thanking _you_. You’re helping, too, you know,” Izu murmured. “You’re all right.”

With that, she slipped out the door, and Jin couldn’t help but smile. Izu seemed like quite a lot, but having her approval felt rather good.

He went back into the living room, and found Aruto sipping at his mug of tea. 

“Are you hungry? I can throw something together for dinner,” Jin offered.

Aruto nodded. “Can I take a bath first?”

“Yeah, of course. Take your time.”

When Aruto finished his tea, he picked up the bar of soap Jin had given him and gave it a tentative sniff. “I do like strawberries…thank you.”

Then Aruto was smiling at him, and that warm feeling flooded through Jin once again, and he tried to keep from grinning like an idiot.

He didn’t need to be developing a crush on someone who was definitely not the least bit interested in a relationship.


	12. Chapter 12

The downpour that caught Jin and Aruto halfway between the art building and Jin’s dorm caught them both by surprise, and even running as fast as they safely could, they were both drenched by the time they ducked into the dorm building.

“Geez…if I hadn’t done that last sketch, we probably could have gotten back before the rain started,” Jin said, pushing his soggy hair back as he fumbled for his room key, unlocking the door and ushering Aruto in first. "Sorry about that."

“It’s ok,” Aruto said, pulling his soggy sneakers off, setting them on the heavy plastic shoe mat Jin kept by the door. “It was…invigorating.”

Jin hurriedly pulled his sketchbooks out of his messenger bag, sighing in relief to find them intact. He set them safely aside, before switching on a lamp and struggling to pull off his own wet sneakers. “I’ll grab us some towels. It’s gonna be a pain to change clothes, though…”

He glanced at Aruto, whose hair was plastered flat against his head, droplets of water running from his hair down his face, no matter how many times he wiped them away. Aruto was drenched and looked miserable, shivering slightly, and Jin suddenly wanted nothing more than to kiss him.

As if he sensed Jin’s eyes on him, Aruto glanced up, a stray water droplet catching on his eyelashes for just a moment, before it continued on, rolling down Aruto’s cheek like a tear.

Jin reached out, brushing the droplet away with his thumb, and he heard Aruto suck in a surprised breath. His wide eyes were on Jin, but he didn’t look frightened, not even when Jin’s thumb absently brushed across his cheek in an affectionate manner.

God, he was beautiful, Jin thought to himself, his fingers gently cupping Aruto’s cheek, watching him for any sign of discomfort as he leaned down, closer, until their lips brushed together. It was brief, only the span of a heartbeat, before Jin drew back, watching Aruto’s eyes flutter open, regarding him curiously.

“Aruto…”

A finger was suddenly pressed against his lips, cutting off anything he’d been about to say, and Aruto was moving closer. “Kiss me again?”

A smile flitted across Jin’s lips; he was more than happy to do so, especially since he knew that Aruto wanted him to. He leaned in, meeting Aruto’s lips once again, this time in a proper kiss. He could feel Aruto relaxing against him, moving closer until their bodies were nearly touching, a soft sound echoing in Aruto’s throat as his hands rested on Jin’s chest.

The kiss remained gentle and hesitant for some time, as Jin didn’t want to do anything that might spook Aruto. He’d clearly been manhandled in the past by that bastard Gai, and Jin wanted to be nothing but gentle with him. He was leaving everything in Aruto’s hands.

Aruto finally made a more insistent sound, pressing his lips against Jin’s more firmly, and he took it as a sign that Aruto was getting a bit impatient with his caution. He ran his tongue lightly along Aruto’s lips, feeling them parting eagerly, inviting Jin to continue. Jin’s tongue slid into his mouth, and Aruto couldn’t help but moan, one of his hands moving upward so he could tangle his fingers in Jin’s wet hair, drawing him further into the kiss, even as Aruto’s tongue met Jin’s own.

After some time, they broke apart, needing a moment to breathe properly before they would undoubtedly dive back in for more. Jin felt a light touch against his groin, and a shaky breath left his lips. “Aruto…”

“I want to…can I?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“You don’t have to…” Jin murmured. He doubted Aruto had gotten over the way that Gai had forced himself on him, and he didn’t want to do anything that might bring those awful memories up for Aruto.

“I know…but I _want_ to,” Aruto said, looking up at Jin. “Do you not want me to?”

“Oh, I would definitely like you to,” Jin murmured, gently sliding his arm around Aruto's waist. 

That seemed to be all the confirmation Aruto needed, and Jin felt his fingers unfastening his jeans, trying to pull the wet denim downward, making several impatient noises as he made very slowly progress.

Once Jin’s shaft was freed, Aruto moved to his knees, running his tongue along his length, and a breathy moan left Jin’s lips. After several slow, wet passes with his tongue, Aruto slowly began to take him into his mouth, and Jin’s hand moved to his shoulder, wanting to maintain some kind of contact with him.

Jin’s hand didn’t stray, didn’t move up to Aruto’s head and force him to take him in faster or deeper. The most that happened were a few twitches as Aruto took his length into his mouth, and Aruto took that as a sign that he was doing a good job. He took him in as far as he comfortably could, then tried to set up a rhythm that he thought Jin would find enjoyable. Judging by the soft moans he was coaxing from Jin’s lips, he was doing an excellent job, and that alone made Aruto feel…good. 

“Aruto…” Jin groaned, and Aruto glanced up to see his eyes closed, head tilted back, his expression one of absolute bliss. “God, babe, I’m going to cum..!”

Aruto wanted to keep going until Jin came, wanted to coax every last bit of pleasure he could out of him, wanted to know what he’d sound like when he came, and he increased his pace.

Jin’s fingers tightened around the fabric of Aruto’s hoodie, and his lips parted, Aruto’s name leaving them as he came.

*

Aruto’s eyes shot open, his heart hammering in his chest.

Again..?

Why did he keep dreaming about Jin like…like _that_?

At least he hadn’t cum in his sleep again, he thought to himself, but he could feel his erect shaft pressing against his pajama pants, and he sighed to himself, turning onto his side and willing his body to calm down. He wasn’t going to touch himself again, especially not now that he was staying with Jin! If he found out, surely he would be disgusted, wouldn’t he?

Aruto squeezed his eyes shut, trying his best to think unsexy thoughts—which, to him, meant anything he was learning in classes—and eventually, he drifted off to sleep once again.

*

Jin frowned as he woke up from the dream he’d been having. That sure had been…unexpected. But he was simply too tired to dwell on it for long, before his eyes closed, and he was drifting back to dreamland once again.

*

Jin drew Aruto to his feet, leaning in to press their lips together once again, before drawing back to look into Aruto’s eyes. “I want to do something for you, too, Aruto. Can I?” Seeing a hesitant look on Aruto’s face, he continued, “Not sex. But…I want to make you feel good, too.” He couldn’t help but let his hands drift to Aruto’s backside, cupping it gently. “Have you ever been rimmed before?”

Heat rose up in Aruto’s cheeks, and he shook his head from side to side, ducking his head.

“Don’t be embarrassed. It’s ok if you don’t want to…”

“I do,” Aruto said, his voice so low, it was barely audible. 

“We need to go to the bedroom, then. Doing this right by the door isn’t a great idea…plus it’ll be uncomfortable. I’ll get some towels so we don’t drip all over the bedding,” Jin said, pressing another soft kiss to Aruto’s lips. “And if you change your mind, tell me. Ok? I won’t make you do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Aruto nodded, his head spinning as they passed through the living room, and Jin ducked into the bathroom to retrieve two large, fluffy towels, before they headed into the bedroom.

Then Jin was drying him off, peeling his drenched hoodie from his body and working his jeans and boxers down. Aruto shivered, and Jin paused. “Still ok?” When Aruto nodded, Jin smiled, laying the towel out along the end of the bed. “Are you ok on all fours? That’s the easiest angle…and, well, then I can get that nice view of your butt.”

Aruto’s face flushed, but a small smile lingered on his lips as he got himself situated. It was fine…this was Jin. Jin, who said he had the greatest ass he’d ever seen. This would be a lot like the modeling sessions, in a way, wouldn’t it? 

He felt Jin’s hands moving across his backside, as they always did before he began sketching, but this time, the touch seemed more reverent than usual, and Aruto’s cock twitched from the attention. He felt his ass cheeks being parted, and he gulped in anticipation.

When Jin’s tongue lightly ran across his entrance, Aruto’s entire body shook, a soft mewl echoing in the room, and he clapped a hand over his mouth.

Had he just made that sound?

Then there was another swipe, and another, and Aruto’s hand dropped to the mattress as he struggled to hold himself upright, feeling as if all of his limbs had suddenly turned into limp spaghetti.

It felt so indescribably good.

When Jin’s tongue inquisitively dipped inside of him, Aruto’s fingers tightened around the sheets, a long sound of pleasure leaving his lips.

He wasn’t going to last much longer; he could already feel the telltale signs of his impending orgasm building up in his lower body.

Jin’s tongue moved further inside him, his fingers kneading Aruto’s buttocks, and that was what sent him over the edge. A long, pleasure-filled groan left Aruto’s lips as he came, his body shuddering from the stimulation, and he all but collapsed against the bed.

But Jin’s arms went around him, moving him onto his back, laying beside him with a soft smile and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead.

*

Jin’s started awake, and for a moment he thought Aruto was in the bed with him, and he reached out, wanting to bring him closer, to reclaim that warmth that he’d felt…but it had been a dream. The other side of his bed was empty, as always.

Aruto would be sound asleep out on the couch right now, Jin reminded himself. 

And here he was, his sweatpants sticking to his body because he’d cum from that incredibly realistic dream.

Jin rubbed his face with his hands, trying to chase away the lingering afterimages of Aruto trembling in his arms, the kiss he’d pressed to his forehead…

No. It was a _dream_. A dream he had no business having, given everything Aruto had been through. He felt awful, thinking about it that way; Aruto was working through so much trauma of his own, and Jin’s brain had acted like a horny teenager, playing on how much he liked Aruto’s ass (strictly for art purposes, he reminded himself).

Jin quietly slipped out of his bed, feeling around in the dark until he reached his dresser, then slid open the lowest drawer to retrieve a new pair of sweatpants. He pulled off the soiled pair, trying to clean himself off as best he could with them, then fumbled for the hamper, stuffing the sweatpants as far down as he could manage. Then he pulled on the clean pair, and crawled back into bed, closing his eyes.

He doubted he’d be able to fall asleep again, not after…that.

He just hoped that Aruto would never find out about it.


End file.
